Today (30 October 2023) 8:35 a.m., Pol. Gen. Patcharawat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment assigned Mr. Chatuporn Buruspat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment along with Mr. Atthaphon Charoenchansa, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Acting Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, as representatives to join the Prime Minister's official visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) at the Office of the Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, Vientiane Capital and to join the discussion between the Prime Minister and Mr. Sonxay Siphandon, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR. There are issues related to MNRE in terms of cooperation in resolving cross-border smog. Both sides attached great importance to solving the problem and agreed to expedite the preparation of the Joint Action Plan between the three countries (Thailand, Lao PDR, and Myanmar) to alleviate the impact on public health. Thailand plans to support Lao PDR in preparing the Fire Risk Map and training relevant officials. Both agencies will continue to work closely together.

They then attended the handover ceremony of the Friendship Arboretum to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Kingdom of Thailand - Lao PDR diplomatic relations. The Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of the Lao PDR were present to witness the handover of the project built by the National Parks Department at the Somboon Na Son Secondary School, Ban Na Son, Muang Pak Ngum, Vientiane Capital under the memorandum of understanding on the project to establish a Thai-Lao arboretum signed on 1 June 2022 between the Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and the Director-General of the Department of Environment, Lao PDR. It is to be a source for collecting and conserving valuable, rare and endangered plant genetics, as well as to encourage the people of both countries to have a conscience to love and cherish forests and valuable and useful natural resources. After the handover of the arboretum, a book on Thai-Laos on both sides of the Mekong plants and training in arboretum management, surveys and collection of Thai-Laos on both sides of the Mekong plants will be prepared in 2024 - 2025.

On this occasion, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment also joined the Prime Minister's team to pay a courtesy call on Mr. Thonglun Sisoulith, President of the Lao PDR and Secretary-General of the Central Administration Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party at the President of the Lao PDR residence. and participated in the opening ceremony of Vientiane Railway Station (Khamsawat) The railway station will promote people-to-people exchanges between the two sides and support tourism links, promote careers, generate income and stimulate economic activities in the border areas of the two countries.